Humidor.



N. G. STARK. I HUMI DOR. APPLIGATION FILED JUIfE 13,1906.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON Gr. STARK. OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T EDGAR T-. SHEPARD,

OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK.

moon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Dec. 15, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Nansen G. STARK, of Uneida, in the county of Madison in the State of New York, have'in'vented new and useful Improvements in Humidors, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and

' exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in huniidors adapted to be placed in a box of cigars to maintain the desired humidity in the box, and thereby keep the cigars reasonably moist.

ltly object is to provide an open-ended tubular receptacle with removable end caps to permit the insertion of a moistureabsorbent, as a sponge, and to form the upper side of the receptacle with. an elongated opening for the evaporation of the moisture from the sponge into the box.

Another object is to provide suitable sup ports whereby the receptacle may be suspended in the upper portion of the cigar-box without resting upon the cigars.

Other objects and uses will appear in the following description.

In the drawings-Figure l is a cross sectional view of a cigar-box showing my improved humidor supported therein. Fig. 2, is a top plan of the hulnidor seen in F jg. l, and means for frictionally supporting it in the box. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the huniidor taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, showing the tube-supporting hangers as engaged with the end of thebox. Fig. t is a perspective view of one of the friction heads for holding the humidor in place.

In demonstrating the practicability of my invention, 1 have shown acigar-box l as provided. with a lid 2- and containing a nuinberfof cigars, as -3-. Mounted in the upper portion of the box 1 in a suitable space made vacant by the removal of one or more cigars, is a. tubular receptacle -4.- having removable end -heads -5- and 6-, and containing a moisture-ab:- sorbent, as a sponge 7. This tubular receptacle 4- is provided with an elongated opening -8- in its upper side and is supported just below the lid upon suitable hangers -9, and also by a friction-hcad 10- aided by a spring -11 which is interposed between the head l0- and adjacent end cap -5-, the spring being tensioned' laterally to force the heads 1O- and 6- preferably made into frictional engagement with the adjacent sides of the box l. Both of these heads -6-- and 10- are cup-shape and are usually made of thin sheet metal having their closed ends provided with spurs 12 adapted to be impressed into the sides of the box by the tension of the spring -1lto more positively hold the humidor in its operative position.

The pendent hangers 9- are formed with hook-shape extremities -14.- removably resting upon the upper edge of one end of the box for supporting the hangers 9+, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The spring l1-- has one endsecured to the adjacent cap 5 and its other end removably seated in the cup-shape cap --1().

The receptacle -4 including its end caps -5- and--6 is somewhat shorter than the transverse width of the box, as best seen in Fi 1, and the spring -11 is in the shape-of a coil forming a yielding extension of the cap -5, and may have.its free end frictionally engaged with the adjacent side of the box '-1 irrespective of the cap l0, such spring having sufficient expansion to frictionally hold the receptacle 4. in operative position.

When the spring is distended the collective length of the receptacle and spring is greater than the Width of the box, so that by placing one end, as -6-, of the receptacle against one side of the box, and then compressing the spring -11 with the cap .-10 thereon, to bring it within the opposite side of the box, the release of the sprlng will" allow its own tension to press the cap -l0 and receptacle into frictional holding e agement with the inner faces of thesides o the box.

Whenit is desired to remove the sceptacle ---4, the operator simply engages one OIfthB other of the caps --6 or 10-, and moves it endwise against the action of the spring 11*, at the same time raisin the end which is so pressed out of the box, w ereupon the entire 1'eceptacle,.t0gether with the spring, may be withdrawn from the box.

If. a new absorbent, as a sponge, is to be insex-ted, one or the other of the end caps --5 and -6- maybe removed and the sponge igserted through the open end of the recept.

cle until the latter 1s substantially filled I in a suitable amount of moisture, without lia ility of dripping, or the entire receptacle may be immersed in water, which is readily taken up by the sponge through the opening It may be practicable in some instances to supply the sponge with water through the opening 8- without removing the receptacle from the box, but this is more or less liable to cause a. drlpping of the water upon the ci ars, whichwould, of course, be detrimenta and I have, therefore, provided the receptacle with removable end heads or'eaps 5 and --6 so that the sponge may be readily taken out and a new one inserted, or the entire receptacle may be removed and immersed in water to saturate the sponge.

What I claim is:

1. A humidor comprising a receptacle having an openin in its top and. containing a moisture-'absor ent, said tube having one end rovided with spurs engaging one side of the ox, and arspring-compressed between the opposite end of the tube and adjacent side 0 the box.

2. A humidor consisting of a tubulsi'r receptacle having an opening in its top and containing a moisture-absorbent, said rece tacle having one end adapted to engage t e inner face of one side of a box, a spring compressed between the opposite end of the re ceptaole and adjacent side of the box, and a seat for the outer end of the spring having s urs'for frictionally engaging said adjacent side of the box.

3. A humidor for cigar-boxes consisting of a. tubular receptacle having an opening in its top and containing a moisture-absorbent and a coil-spring attached to one end of the receptacle, the combined length of the receptacle and spring when. the latter is d514 tended being greater than the interior width of the box, whereby when the receptacle with 

